Toy bed



@ch 2, 1934. wlLDER 1,975,305

TOY BED Original Filed March 28. 1932 INVENTOR.

A/me E. W/lder Patented Oct. 2, 1934 TQY BED Alice Wilder, Oakland, Calif.

- Application March 28, 1932, Serial No. 601,484

" Renewed February 19, 1934 13 Claims. (CI. 4637) This inventionrelates to toy beds and has for its objects a construction in such beds whereby portions of the bed may be folded to facilitate shipment thereof and by which construction certain parts of the bedordinarily susceptible to breakage are practically free from that danger without altering the appearance of the bed.

, These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying draWing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of. a

for use. I I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a portion of the bed embodying my invention, with a part broken away to disclose the detailed structure thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. a 3

In detail, the bed comprises-ahead board 1, and a foot board 2 of the bedframe, with legs 3 secured at opposite ends thereof respectively and the head and foot boards including the legs attached thereto connected inthe ordinary manner as by side rails extendingbetween the legs at the r head and foot of the bed respectively (not shown) forming a rectangular bed frame for supporting a mattress, as indicated at 4. The head and foot boards are secured at opposite ends respectively to the upper ends of the legs by mortice and tenon joints as indicated in Fig. 2, the upper ends of the legs extending slightlyabove the upper edge of the boards as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.-

The upper end of each of thelegs has rounded edges 5 and a flattened end 6 and is provided a with a vertical hole 7 drilled into the end of the leg longitudinally thereof in the center of the flattened portion. 1 V l I On the upper ends of each of the legs posts 8 are provided in upward extension of the legs to make a bed commonly called a poster bed. These posts are centrally flattened. at their lower ends each, as indicated in Fig. 2, to seat: against on the flattened upper ends of the legs respectively and are rounded at the edges of the lower end at 9, A hole 10 is drilled in the lower end to. axially align in upward extension with the hole '7 in the leg. The posts 8 are each secured to the legs by a coil spring 11 extending at its opposite ends respectively into holes 7-and- 10. This spring is first secured at its upper end in the upper end of hole 10 as by a pin 12 and is then pulled into the hole '7 in the leg through a mortice 13 in the upper end of the leg in which the tenon at the end of the foot or'head board, as the case may be, is later inserted. By this means thespring 11 is tensioned and is then fastened at the lower end in the lower end of hole 7 by a staple or pin 14.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that the posts 8 will be held in upright position by the tension of the spring 11 with the flattened upper bed as set upends of the legs and the flattened lower ends of the posts seated firmly together, and to all appearances the posts and legs being a unitary structure. Also, it will be manifest that vtheposts cannot be broken off by being accidentally struck, due to the fact that the posts will give in any direction when struck, and will afterward automatically resume an upright position the same as before, the rounded adjacent ends of the posts and legs acting as a universal hearing at the joint.

It is customary in the trade to make toy beds in sets of several sizes to accommodate famiies of dolls, as it were, and these are packed in sets, Formerly, in order to make up these sets, it has been necessary to ship the beds knocked down, or to hinge the foot and head pieces, including the legs, to the frame. Where the beds are shipped knocked down, the; retail.

stores are compelled to set up the beds, work which is objectionable to the stores since it takes time, and frequently the parts are damaged due to inexperienced help or are soiled, or the parts do not properly fit, etc., and where the footand head pieces are hinged, the mechanical structure is too complicated for the child to properly operate involving friction joints with no posi tive catch, or catches which become bent or broken, all in all being unsatisfactory for use by children.

In my structure this is overcome by providing means for holding the posts in depressed'position in which position the smaller beds in the set may be nested below the larger ones, and make a package.

The means for holding the posts in depressed position comprise foot and head members 15 being flat pieces extending longitudinally of the foot and head boards 1 and each grooved on the lower edge at 17 to'fit over the upper edges of the foot and head boards respectively. These pieces may be secured to the boards by gluing in the groove or any desirable manner.

At their opposite ends the lower corners of the pieces 15 are cut: away thus forming over- PATENT OFFICE; Y

, dersides as at 19 and the pieces are of a length so that, when the posts 8 are folded downwardly over the ends of the foot and head boards, the outer upper ends of the posts will pass under the overhanging ends of the pieces 15 and will fit in the concave portion 19 and will be held therein as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In order to release the posts from this position it is only necessary to push the ends of the posts from engagement under the ends 18 of the pieces 15 and the posts will automatically resume an upright position.

The foot and head pieces 15 are slightly higher at their upper edges thanthe upper sides of the posts when the posts are in depressed position in order to prevent accidental dislodgement of the posts in nesting the beds or in sliding the beds under some; piece of furniture inva childs playroom so as to be out of' the way, sincethe foot and head pieces 15 will take any pressure or blow imposed thereon and not the posts.

It is manifest of course that the foot and head pieces 15 may be made in ornamental designs as they complement the design of the bed, and" the posts may be long or short as. desiremzzthe; length of the pieces 15 being, correspondingly lengthened or shortened. Also the! posts. 'may' take many ornamental shapes as may be accomplished by turning on a lathe or otherwise; and;- when folded will make a differently designed bed thanwhen upright thus-affordingtWodistinct kinds of beds bothornamental and complete.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1; A- bedstead provided with posts at the corners' thereofprojecting upwardly therefrom, said posts being mounted'for movement from upright" to asubstantially horizontal-position; and means arrangedand-adapted to-yi'elclably urge said-post's from a' substantially horiz'on'taP to 'anuprightposition and to' yield'ably retain said -postsinupright position:

2: In a toy bedstead including legs forsup-- portingthe bedstead-on the floor, posts posi tioned on said legs in upwa rd: extension thereof,- each ofsaid'post'sandlegs provided with axially aligned-- openings at their adj oining' ends; and a coil spring within said openings secured atone end withinthe-opening inthe' post and at the other end within theopening in the leg; said i springbeing-under' tension whe'reb'ytlie post is yieldably retained 1 in upward extension relative to the leg.

3': ma structure-as'defined in -claimZ, the po'st" and; leg each being formed" with a fiat surface around said openings respectively: for firmly seating together when the post is inupright position; and theedges of thead-j'oining ends of the" post' and-leg being rounded-to permit'rockingthe post in any direction.

4: A bedstead-provided withposts' at the corners thereof projecting upwardly therefrom; means mounting the-posts each at their" lower endsto the bedstead: for movement-of -the posts to a laterally extending position, and means for securing the posts in-the laterallyextendingposition', said--mearis-comprisingsamember on the bedstead -adapted to eng-a-ge the posts when in the last mentioned position.

5; In atoy bedstead--includinglegs for supporting thebedsteadonthe-floor, aposten each of said legspositionedifrupwardextensi'on there'- of and means foryieldab'ly'retaining said p'o'st in upright position; said-means arranged and adapted to secure the-post-to theleg-andto permit movement of the post to alaterallyextending position, and means-011a side of the bedstead arranged and adapted to-- engage the post for holding the same in" said last mentioned posi'- tion;

6; Ina tOybedStead-including legs for support ing the bedstead on thefloor, a post" on each of said; legs positioned in upward extension thereof and means yieldably retaining saidpost i'nupright position; said means-arranged and-adapted to secure the post 'to'the-lega-nd to-permitmovemerit ofthe-post to-a-laterally' extending position, and means on a side ofthe'bedstead-arranged and adapted each to engage the outer ends of a pair of said posts for holding the posts in the last mentioned position.

7L In a structure-as defined in claim 6, said means comprising a horizontally disposed member disposed above a side of the bedstead and secured thereto intermediate its ends, the ends movement froman upright tea -laterally extendihg-relationwh'ile retaining the adjacent ends of the posts andlegs respectively" in abutting rel'a tion; means yiel'dablyretaining the posts in up-- right position; and means onthe head board and foot board arr-anged and; adapted to:' engage an end each'of" the posts atithe head and footof the bed respectively for holding said posts in laterally extending ositiem 9. --In an article of furniture of the type-having a main body portion and a post projecting therefrom; means yieldably retaining said post in-a positionsubstantiallyperpendicular to the body portion and securing" the p'ost' thereto with its inner end seated against the body-portion-andmeans" permitting movementof-"th e outer en'd 'of said post in any direction about the point of 'con tact of the inner end with the body-as an axiss 10? Al bedstead' provided with posts at the corners thereoflprojecting"upwardly therefrom; said posts beirig -mounted for 'mo'vem'ent from-upright to a" subst'a-ntia-ll' i horizontal" position, means yieldablyr-etainingsaiid posts inupright position and means 3 forsecuring-said posts in horizontalpo'sition: V

11. Inanarticle of f-urriiturehaving a main body-portion; a member -norinall'y" projectingout war-dly" thereftoma'nd pivotally' secured thereto at"the-end adjacentthe body portion for movement"of thamember 'fi om thenormaloutwardly projecting position to a laterally extending posi' tion-- at either opposite side, means arranged and a'dapte'd to -yieldablyurge said membe-r from the lastme'ntioned positien'to the-normal outw'ardl'y projecting position -at all timesi 12. In a toy bedstead including legs rig-idly secured thereto fen sdpporting-'tlie-= bedstead on the floor; posts positioned onthe Iegs in upward extension thereofand' means yieldably' retaining said" posts in upright-position; said means com-. prising aresilient' member secure'd at opposite ends respectively toandextending' at opposite ends into ea'chofsaid post's andlegs respectively;

13: In a toy bedstead including legs rigidlysecured' theretofor supperti'ng" the bedstead on the floor, posts'pos'itionedion'the leg-sin upward extension thereof and means yielda-bly retaining said posts *in" uprighlfposition; each of saidposts and' legs provided with axially aligned openings at their adjoining-ends -and saidmeans comprising a resilient member positioned within the openings'and extendingacrossthe juncture of the adjoiningends of thepost and: leg and secured at opposite-ends tomne post'and leg respectively:

ALICE; WILDER... 

